Obtaining a job abroad can be scary enough without worrying about where you are going to live or what the place is going to be like.
I have created this article to hopefully help you understand what it’s like to live in Greece as living abroad for a long period of time can be very different from visiting a place for a week on holiday.
Greece is a lovely place with beautiful beaches, crystal clear oceans and a year round warm climate.
You may have visited Greece before on holiday but whilst working a season you have to remember that you are not on holiday, you are there to work and have some fun, but mainly to work. When a resort is in a small town, the town may be relying on the resort to get customers to visit their establishments and each resort may have specific guidelines on where or who, you as an employee should, recommend guests visit (they should let you know this in orientation). Guests will ask you where they should go-many restaurants may offer special deals to employees of the resorts in return for a recommendation. One restaurant, where I did a season, offered all drinks, a meal and starter for €15 whilst others offered discounts. The resorts have long term relationships with the local businesses and they will let you know these offers at orientation. Local businesses like to keep you on their good side but this is a mutual thing, you should be nice to the local people. Local towns in Greece are usually made up of a number of different families who own small businesses, these families may well own a number of businesses. Everyone knows everyone so you may find if you fall out with a local it may come back to be a bad thing on you especially as you maybe there for a six month period.
Your accommodation is usually located around the town or near the resort, you may have to walk a little way to get there from the resort or town depending on where you live. Whilst it is usually safe to walk around the town on your own, always be wary of walking into unlit streets and try where possible to walk with another person, especially at night or in the early morning after a night out. This is same as you would do in any city or town anywhere in the world, there is nothing to worry about safety wise if you are smart.
It is so easy to spend everyday off just chilling in your room hungover or by the beach or in the local town but there is so much more around to explore. If you are on mainland Greece, get a group of you together and drive somewhere for the day, maybe a deserted beach or a new town-explore because after all you are there to travel and see new places. If you are on a island, hire a car and drive around the island for the day, explore the non tourist places and drive around to find secret places on the island. Whilst it’s okay to have a lazy day, try and do an equal share of exploring and chilling.
So just remember-whilst on a season be nice to the locals and they will do you favours, explore the surrounding areas (don’t just spend all day in bed) an remember to do everything you would do in a normal city, keep safe and smart.
